Dwell Magazine Contest Results
In Chapel Hill Prefabricated Home

What: Two-story contemporary home with two bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms in 2,040 square feet on seven acres.

Where: Pittsboro, N.C., about 16 miles south of Chapel Hill.

Amenities: 1,000-square-foot roof deck with outdoor fireplace, guest bedroom or studio with separate entrance.

Asking Price: $585,000

Opening Bid: *$550,000

Listing Agents: Wieler Realty, (800) 479-1998

Due Diligence: This prefabricated house surrounded by forest is the result of an unusual contest between 16 architects. It all started in 2002, when Nathan Wieler and his wife, Ingrid, looked into buying a house in the artist-friendly area around the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Focusing on a prefab home as a way to fit their budget, the couple contacted the author of a book on such houses, who also was an editor of the design magazine Dwell. The author suggested a contest in the magazine, Mr. Wieler says; the couple then bought hilltop land overlooking a lake for about $200,000. The winning design, by New York firm Resolution: 4 Architecture, includes indoor and outdoor fireplaces, two dozen windows and a master-bedroom suite with walk-in closet. Mr. Wieler, 33 years old, estimates the cost to design and construct the L-shaped, red cedar house at more than $350,000 plus $100,000 for heating and other costs. The house, shipped in seven parts, took a year to complete. Mr. Wieler, a former multimedia entrepreneur, has become a real-estate developer.

Additional Photos

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.